I Got Reincarnated as a Zombie Girl

Chapter 473 - 470 – Rank S Provocation

Around ten in the morning, the sun was already high in the clear blue sky of the Helios Empire’s capital, casting a golden-yellow light that illuminated everything with a warm and dazzling glow. The wide, orderly stone streets in the Central District were as busy as usual, filled with the pulse of big-city life. Merchants shouted loudly, hawking their goods from imported silk fabrics and fragrant southern spices to sparkling magic jewelry. The aroma of fresh bread straight from the ovens mixed with the scent of damp earth after last night’s rain, along with cool breezes carrying the fragrance of roses and lavender from distant palace gardens. However, beneath the beautiful warmth of the morning, tension still lingered in Sylvia’s heart like a thin mist that refused to dissipate.In the luxurious dining hall of The Dragon Inn, the three sisters had just finished their breakfast. The polished oak table still held the remnants of the lavish meal: herb-seasoned scrambled eggs, thick toast layered with forest honey, rich beef soup with carrot and potato chunks, and glasses of fresh fruit juice. Sylvia wore her simple yet elegant long black coat, accented with subtle silver embroidery on the collar that was barely noticeable unless viewed up close. Her long black hair was neatly tied back, revealing her cold, pale face and sharp, always-vigilant red eyes. Alicia, in a soft silver-accented light blue dress that highlighted her silver hair, looked like a noble princess on vacation, while Stacia still wore her comfortable old gray reader’s robes, a thick fantasy novel clutched tightly under her arm.

Sol lay relaxed on Sylvia’s shoulder, his chubby golden kitten body feeling warm and steady. His sharp round eyes scanned the surroundings warily, ready to react to any danger. Meanwhile, the Qilin, in its cute small silver-furred deer form, walked gracefully beside Alicia, occasionally rubbing its head against the girl’s waist to seek attention.

The moment the inn door opened with its characteristic soft creak, the morning breeze greeted them, carrying the scent of fresh bread and street dust. But what was stronger was the hundreds of pairs of eyes that immediately turned toward them.

The crowd of citizens and adventurers passing by in front of the inn froze for a moment. Whispers spread like wildfire in dry grass fast and unstoppable.

"That’s them... the team that killed the Ancient Hydra in Greywood Dungeon yesterday!"

"Only three of them! The guild officially announced their Rank S promotion yesterday afternoon. The fastest record in the last ten years, maybe even in guild history!"

"Wow, beautiful but deadly. People say the Hydra’s body was completely scorched by their fire magic. Its legendary scales melted like wax!"

Sylvia walked ahead with calm but vigilant steps, her expression remaining flat like the surface of a frozen winter lake. In her heart, she had already expected this. News of their achievement yesterday had spread faster than anticipated, thanks to the unstoppable mouths of eyewitnesses and the guild’s highly efficient magic communication system. Merchants on the roadside stopped hawking their goods, some small children pointed with sparkling eyes full of admiration, while lower-rank hunters instinctively stepped aside to make way, as if afraid that a single glance from the three girls could burn them alive.

"I hope this doesn’t draw the empire’s attention too soon," Sylvia murmured softly through group telepathy. Her voice in her sisters’ minds sounded calm and controlled, but carried a clear note of caution. "Our identity as rulers of Nocture must remain as secret as possible. If it’s exposed too early, there will be too many uncontrollable variables, imperial spies, and possibly envoys from neighboring kingdoms who are envious."

Alicia nodded slightly while stroking the Qilin’s warm, soft back. "You’re right, Sister. But with the Rank S promotion, it’s hard to stay low profile. Yesterday alone, people were already trying to approach us at the inn with various excuses."

Stacia smiled faintly, her fingers tapping the novel’s cover in a light rhythm that showed her composure. "Let them talk. We’re ready for anything. Besides, this is also a great opportunity to gather more information in the capital. Who knows, there might be interesting Rank S missions or rumors about the empire’s movements toward the border regions."

The three of them walked along the Main Road toward the magnificent Hunter Guild. Along the way, stares and whispers followed them like loyal shadows. Some people dared to approach and offer respectful greetings, though none got too close. A middle-aged fruit merchant with a wrinkled, friendly face and hands rough from hard work bravely offered his best red apples for free as a sign of respect.

"This is for you, Honorable Rank S Hunters," he said while bowing deeply. "Apples from the best orchard on the city outskirts. Sweet and fresh, may they give you extra strength for your next adventures!"

Alicia accepted them with a sincere, gentle smile that immediately made the merchant blush. "Thank you very much, Sir. We truly appreciate your kindness." She shared the apples with her sisters and even gave a small bite to the Qilin, who chewed eagerly, its small tail wagging happily.

Upon arriving in front of the towering Hunter Guild building with its sturdy white stone architecture and statues of ancient heroes lining the facade, the atmosphere inside was already much busier than yesterday. Hundreds of hunters gathered in the vast lobby, most pretending to be busy with the giant mission board full of papers, but their eyes were clearly fixed on the three girls who had just entered. There were looks of admiration from young hunters full of inspiration, unconcealed envy from the seniors, and hidden fear from those who had heard about Sylvia’s reputation after the Baron Veldor incident some time ago. The path to the reception desk opened wide again without needing to ask, as if the sea of people parted on its own.

Behind the beautifully carved mahogany reception desk, the same middle-aged female staff member named Lira stood more prepared. Her uniform was neat and unwrinkled, her smile wider this time though still slightly nervous. "Rank S Hunters Sylvia, Alicia, and Stacia," she greeted in a clearly respectful tone, her voice slightly trembling with emotion. "Welcome back. The rewards for completing Greywood Dungeon are fully prepared. Please follow me to the special completion room on the second floor."

They were escorted to a more private side room, its walls decorated with dynamically moving magic maps and rare monster trophies displayed in crystal cases. Staff member Lira explained carefully while placing officially sealed imperial documents on the polished mahogany table.

"The initial total reward for slaying the Ancient Hydra and clearing the entire dungeon is 1,200 gold coins. However... there is a significant deduction." Lira sounded genuinely regretful, her voice soft. "Because the Hydra’s corpse was so badly scorched by the devastating attack, only a small portion could be properly harvested. Its scales, teeth, crystal core, and bones were severely damaged. The monster dismantling experts said this is one of the worst cases they’ve seen in the last decade. So the final reward is 600 gold coins. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, but the Guild still acknowledges your extraordinary achievement."

Sylvia listened to the explanation in silence, her face unchanging. In her heart, she felt a slight regret that her full-power fire attack had indeed been too excessive, turning the legendary monster into a giant piece of charcoal that was difficult to harvest. But she showed no regret in front of others. "It’s fine," she answered flatly and firmly. "We accept it as is. The quality of the reward is not our main priority."

Lira nodded in relief and handed over a heavy leather pouch filled with gleaming gold coins, along with three special new hunter cards. The cards were made of finely polished real diamond, sparkling beautifully under the magic crystal lamp light. The Rank S emblem, a winged sword with a crown was elegantly engraved in the center, accompanied by their full names and magical photos that appeared alive and moved faintly.

"These are the official Rank S cards. With these, your access to national-level special missions, Guild VIP rooms, imperial facilities, the forbidden library, and even large discounts at elite shops will be fully open," Lira explained proudly, her voice now steadier.

Sylvia accepted the cards and stored them directly into her system storage. The money was divided equally with her sisters through quick telepathy. After the matter was settled, she felt a bit tired. Her undead body was strong, but the series of battles yesterday and this morning’s tension were starting to weigh on her mind.

"Let’s return to the inn for now," Sylvia said softly to her sisters. "I still need rest before deciding on our next steps."

The three of them exited the completion room and headed toward the guild entrance. However, the moment the large guild doors swung open wide, five tall, burly men were already standing in their way with arrogant postures. Their auras were strong and oppressive, clearly Rank S. Their diamond cards were proudly displayed on their gleaming armored chests.

Sylvia stopped walking. Her eyes narrowed coldly, her undead aura leaking slightly, causing the surrounding air temperature to drop several degrees and thin frost to appear on the stone floor. "What do you want?"

The group’s leader, a man with short, rough hair, a diagonal scar across his face, and a body as muscular as a grizzly bear laughed mockingly in a rough voice. "Heh, so these are the ones who supposedly killed the Ancient Hydra alone? Three weak women? I, Gorn Thunderfist, don’t believe it at all. You must have had helpers or a big team hidden behind you! Just relying on your pretty faces, huh?"

Those words instantly made the atmosphere at the guild entrance tense. Other hunters nearby quickly gathered, whispering with anticipation. Some even took out recording crystals to capture this historic event.

Sylvia immediately understood the situation. This wasn’t just ordinary provocation. They were envious and insecure. Male Rank S hunters like them had always been seen as the pinnacle of the empire’s strength. Now, three young women who had just been promoted had single-handedly slain an Ancient Hydra. It shattered their fragile egos.

"Move aside," Sylvia said in a flat, cold voice full of authority.

But the five men didn’t budge. Instead, they stepped even closer, their mocking smiles growing wider and more provocative.

"What? Scared of being tested? The Hydra loot must be fake. You just hired strong people and claimed everything yourselves, right? Women are indeed weak, like to cheat, and only rely on their pretty faces to rise in rank!"

Stacia growled softly, her fingers already glowing with dark mana ready to explode. Alicia was prepared to summon her deadly ice magic. But Sylvia raised her hand, firmly stopping them. She let out a long sigh and thought to herself, Let’s finish this quickly. There’s no point wasting time with people like this.

"Fine," Sylvia said calmly, her voice ringing clearly through the increasingly crowded guild lobby. "If you want proof, we’ll settle this in the guild arena. Right now."

Gorn laughed with satisfaction, his eyes gleaming with savage joy. "Great! Finally you have the guts. I, Gorn Thunderfist, will show you who truly deserves to be Rank S!"

Guild Master Marcus, who had heard the commotion, immediately appeared from the upper floor with quick steps. The middle-aged man with a thick white beard nodded in agreement after seeing the situation. "Very well. The training arena in the back can be used. But remember, this is a skill-testing match, not a fight to the death. The magic barriers will be fully active."

News of this fight spread like lightning across a clear sky. In a short time, dozens, even hundreds of hunters had packed the stone stands around the large arena. The arena was surrounded by anti-damage magic barriers that shimmered, and its floor was made of special sand that could absorb heavy impacts without breaking.

Sylvia, Alicia, and Stacia entered the arena. Sylvia advanced alone to the center of the sand circle, while her two sisters stood at the edge on alert. She glanced slightly at Alicia and whispered softly, "Lend me your staff."

Alicia frowned worriedly. Her beautiful silver staff was a channeling weapon for precise and delicate spells slender yet strong, made from rare pure silver. "Don’t break it, okay..." she said while reluctantly handing over the staff.

Sylvia took the staff, feeling its balanced and perfect weight in her hand. Her cold undead mana flowed slowly into it, making the tip glow faintly. "I’ll try," she replied shortly, a faint cold smile appearing on her lips.

On the opposite side of the arena, the five Rank S hunters were already prepared with full confidence. They drew their weapons: a large gleaming sword, a heavy war axe, a crackling lightning staff, and a thick iron shield. Gorn laughed loudly, his voice echoing. "You’re facing all five of us alone? Extremely arrogant! We will destroy your illusions in front of everyone!"

Sylvia stood tall in the center of the arena, Alicia’s silver staff held casually in her right hand. The arena wind gently blew her black cloak, making her look even more mysterious. She stared at her five opponents with cold, unblinking red eyes, without the slightest trace of fear. Her aura began to rise slowly, making the sand around her tremble faintly and the air grow colder.

"Then... all of you come at once."

Those words immediately made the five men’s faces flush red with extreme anger and humiliation. Feeling greatly underestimated, Gorn growled loudly and stepped forward together with his four teammates. Their Rank S auras exploded simultaneously, ready to charge at Sylvia, who stood alone in the center of the arena with a silver staff in her hand.